Rotary die caster



Aug. 3, 1943.

R. G. LE TOURNEAU ROTARY DIE CASTER Filed May 1, 1942 INVENTOR. R. 6. Le Tour-nee w ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 3, i943 ROTARY m CASTER Robert G. Le Tourneau, Peoria, 111., assig'nor to R. G. Le Tourneau, Inc., Stockton, Calif., acorporation Application May 1, 1942,

Claims.

This invention relates in general to rotary or centrifugal die casting apparatus, and in particular is directed to improvements in a rotary die casting apparatus which includes a driven diesupporting face plate to which the die is axially and concentrically secured at one end; the other Serial No. 441,290

end of the die being exposed and having a central opening through which the molten metal is poured while the die is revolving.

.One of the objects of this invention is to mount the die on the driven die supporting face plate so as to automatically compensate for heat expansion of the die during pouring and cooling of the casting, while at the same time maintaining the die concentric with the face plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in rotary die casting apparatus which includes a driven die supporting face plate and an axially mounted die as above, unique power actuated means to exert an initial loosening or freeing action on the casting or billet after the latter has been poured and cooled to the desired extent.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the introduction of water into the rotating die after the casting has been poured and during the cooling period of the latter; the water introducing means being incorporated in the casting loosening or freeing means.

, A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive .device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of suc structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the improved rotary die casting apparatus, partly in section, illustrating the parts in position for the pouring of a casting.

Figure 2 is a cross-section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the improved rotary die casting apparatus comprises a heavy duty headstock l having a horizontal bore 2 extending therethrough from end to end. A spindle 3 is journaled in bore 2 and held against axial displacement by means of anti-friction bearings 4.

Suitable means is provided to rotate the spin dle 3, being here shown as comprising a gear 5 mounted on spindle 3 intermediate the bearings 4, and this gear isdriven from a headstock-supported countershaft 6 by means of a pinion I on the inner end of said countershaft. An electric motor 8 is mounted atop the headstock, and drives the countershaft B through the medium of a multiple belt and pulley unit indicated generally at 9. 7

At the end opposite the drive unit 9, the spindle '3 is fitted with :an enlarged circular face plate Hi; this face plate being attached to the adjacent end of the spindle by means of bolts l I. If desired, a suitable seal I2 may be disposed between the face plate and the adjacent one of the antifriction bearings 4.

A die l3, of square cross-section at its ends and having an interior circular, inwardly tapering casting cavity ll'open to both ends of the die, is disposed in axial alinement with, and projects concentrically outwardly from, the face plate It); said die being removably mounted in connection with said face plate in the following manner:

Tension drive linkslli are pivoted at one end to the inner end of the die adjacent the corners thereof, as at I8, and thence extend from pivot I6 in substantially the direction of rotation of face plate III, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. Adjacent the other or outer ends, the link ii are pivoted to .the face plate [0, as at IT. The pivots l6 and I! are preferably removable bolts; those indicated at I! being secured to the face plate beyond the sides of the die, and thus being accessible for unthreading when it is desired to detach the die from said face plate. Opposite ones of the links are parallel to each other, and the links rest fiat against the face plate and adjacent end of the die.

At the outer end of the die IS, the cavity 14 is fitted with a removable end plate 58 symmetrical to said end of the die and held in place by C- clamps I9, whose inner ends seat against abutments 28 formed by recessing the corners of the dieas indicated at 2|. The end plate 13 is formed with a central bore 22 through which the molten metal is poured into thedie during a cast ing operation.

A rod 23 of relatively small diameter extends centrally and longitudinally through spindle 3 and is slidably mounted in the latter by guide collars 2t mounted on the rod. At the end adjacent the die, rod 23 is fitted with a circular radial head 25 which snugly but slidably fits the inner end of cavity l4, forming a closure for the inner end of said die. At its other end the rod 23 An upstanding lever 21 is disposed headstock. Intermediate its ends, the lever 21 is cut through in the form of an elongated rectangular slot 34 in which-a block 35 rides; said block being pivoted at 36 on the adjacent side of the member 28.

The rod 23 isformed with a bore 31 which extends through the head 25. At the outer end of the rod 23, the bore 31 communicates with a water supply hose 38; there being a conventional swivel coupling 39 between hose 38 and the adjacent rod to permit of rotation of said rod without twisting the hose.

Operation At the beginning of a casting operation, the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. l, and the motor 8 drives the spindle 3 and conse .quently the die I3 at relatively high speed. The

molten metal,by suitable ladle or the like, is poured through opening 22 into the rotating die; centrifugal force shaping the casting or billet within said die.

After the pouring of th casting has been completed, water from hose 38 is introduced into passage 31, whence it passes through head 25 and sprays into the interior of the die and onto the casting, hastening cooling of the latter as is desirable. 1

When the casting has fully hardened, the water is shut off, and the motor 8 is stopped. c-clamps I 9 and end plate I8 are then removed and by actuation of power cylinder 3| by means of controls (not shown), a relatively short advancing action is imparted to rod 23 and head 25. This initially loosens or frees-the casting from the die and permits of easy removal of said casting out of the then open end of said die. The head'25 is returned to normal position as shown in Fig. 1

and the end plate I8 is replaced, before the next casting operation.

One of the principal advantages derived from the above apparatus, in addition to ease and facility of operation, is the provision of means to automatically compensate for heat expansion of the die [3, whil at the same time maintaining said die concentric to the spindle 3 and face plate l0; such means residing in the use of the tension drive links l5, whose arrangement is such that even though the die expands radially of the face plate, the links compensate therefor and center the die due to the centrifugal force of the latter.

From the foregoing description it will be readily, 65

seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. In rotary die casting apparatus, a driven face plate, a rotary die projecting axially and concentrically from said face plate, and means mounting said die in connection with the face plate so as to automatically compensate for heat expansion of the die while maintaining the concentricity thereof; said means comprising drive links pivotally connected between the face plate and the adjacent portion of the die for swinging movement about axes parallel to the axis of the face plate.

2. In rotary die casting apparatus, a driven face plate, a rotary'die projecting axially and concentrically from said face plate, and means mounting said die in connection with the face plate so as to automatically compensate for heat expansion of the die while maintaining the concentricity thereof; said means comprising a plurality of drive links pivotally connected in symmetrically spaced relation between the face plate and the adjacent portion of the die for swinging movement about axes parallel to the axis of the face plate.

3. In rotary die casting apparatus, a driven face plate, a rotary die projecting axially and concentrically from said face plate, and means mounting said die in connection with the face plate so as to automatically compensate for heat expansion of the die while maintaining the concentricity thereof; said means comprising a plurality of drive links pivotally connected in symmetrically spaced relation between the face plate and the adjacent portion of the die for swinging movement about axes parallel to the axis of the face plate, said links projecting from the die in substantially the direction of rotation of said plate.

4. In rotary die casting apparatus, a driven face plate, a rotary die projecting axially and concentrically from said face plate, and means mounting said die in connection with the face plate so as to automatically compensate for heat expansion of the die while maintaining the concentricity thereof; said means comprising a plurality of links pivoted atone end on the inner end of the die in symmetrically spaced relation, said links projecting therefrom in substantially the direction of rotation of the die and at the other end being pivoted on the face plate, the axis of the link pivots being parallel to the axis of said plate.

5. A device as in claim 1 in which the links are pivoted to the face plate by removable pivots and at points outwardly of the sides of the die whereby the link pivots at said end are accessible for ready removal.

ROBERT G. LE TOURNEAU. 

